On Friday, Yoan Moncada atoned for an absymal performance at the plate the day before with the game-winning double.
Tonight, Tim Anderson bounced back from a late-inning lowlight on Friday with a couple of late-inning highlights that won the White Sox this game.
Anderson finally solved the mystery that was Yonny Chirinos, smacking a leadoff double past third baseman Matt Duffy. Leury Garcia tried to bunt him over twice, but couldn't. He surprised the Rays by trying a third time. He kept it well within fair territory by batting a soft liner that landed about even with the mound on the third-base side. It was effective as a sac bunt with the infield back, and it worked even better when Duffy threw wide of first to allow Anderson to score the go-ahead run.
(Anderson had failed to score an insurance run in Friday's victory when it didn't look like he was at full speed rounding third. Fortunately, it didn't matter.)
Thyago Vieira entered and worked around a two-out walk for his first career save. The White Sox picked themselves up from a disappointing home series against Kansas City by securing a series in St. Petersburg. They've now won three in a row.
Anderson also made a fine diving stab and throw to rob Duffy of a single with one out in the eighth inning. Duffy couldn't believe his luck, and truth be told, plenty of players were frustrated in this one.
The Rays should've done more damage against Carlos Rodon, who issued five walks and plunked a batter over six innings of work. The Rays could only score one run, and even then, it was an unearned one in the second. Carlos Gomez went from second to third on an Omar Narvaez passed ball, and scored on an infield single. That was the Rays' only hit in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
It didn't help that they ran into three outs on the basepaths. Rodon picked off Jake Bauers in the first inning, Willy Adames was caught stealing to end the second, and Mallex Smith was doubled off first base on a lineout to Yolmer Sanchez at third.
That bought enough time for the White Sox to catch, and then eventually surpass, the Rays despite far fewer opportunities.
Blake Snell, limited to four innings and 59 pitches in his first game back from the DL, held the Sox to one run on a Jose Abreu solo shot. It could've been two, but a strong relay from the left field corner nabbed Matt Davidson at the plate when he tried scoring from first on Yolmer Sanchez's double. Maybe Nick Capra shouldn't have sent Davidson, but he couldn't have been thrown out by any smaller a margin.
Sanchez was involved in his own baserunning controversy when second-base umpire Jerry Meals ruled him out on a force at second in the fifth as part of a 4-6-3 double play. Sanchez was in motion, and appeared to beat the throw when shown on a replay, yet the review from New York still called Sanchez out. Rick Renteria earned perhaps his quietest ejection, getting a near-automatic thumb for coming out to argue the review results, but it's easy to understand his confusion and consternation.
Bullet points:
*Narvaez had a rough day behind the plate. Besides his 11th passed ball of the season, he also allowed a Vieira slider to get between his legs to move the tying run into scoring position, even though a slider in the dirt was what he called.
*Gomez hit the ground like a fell tree after Rodon plunked him, just for goofs and grins.
*Chirinos struck out six over his five innings of relief. As was the case with Rodon, the run was unearned.
*Xavier Cedeno picked up the win by facing a batter and getting a comebacker to end the eighth.
Record: 40-70 | Box score
